Attachment for holding cross braces to end frame scaffolding



' v. w. MENG EI'AL 2,561,938 ATTACHMENT FOR HOLDING CROSS BRACES TO END FRAME SCAFFOLDING Filed June 28, 1949 July 24, 1951 Z 4 nvmvro 1,3 Fir/01' h f Mew By mi Jaw/2f: fla /i lie/2' ATTOR/Vf) Patented July 24, 1951 ATTACHMENT FOR HOLDING CROSS BRACES TO END FRAME SCAFFOLDING Victor W. Meng, New Hyde Park, N. Y., and Joseph Huck, Tenafly, N. J., assignors to The Patent Scaffolding 00., Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 28, 1949, Serial No. 101,896

1 Claim.

This invention relates to end frame scaffolding, in which a pair of integral end frames are supported by longitudinally disposed crossbraces.

The object of the invention is to provide means for holding the ends of the crossbraces against the uprights of the end frames, to take the place of the nuts for screw-threaded stems supported by said uprights, heretofore in general use.

It has been found that these relatively small nuts are easily lost, Also, the threads thereof rust, or are damaged by impact or careless application to the threaded stems, and in such cases are not properly applied, or not applied at all, thus leaving an end or two of the crossbraces subject to disengagement from the stems. As this type of scaffolding is of the built up type, that is, one end frame is placed vertically above an end frame below, often to considerable height, the security of such a built up structure is proportionate to its weakest link.

To overcome these objections, the invention contemplates an attachment applied to an upright of an end frame, which attachment preferably above a standard stem of an upright, has a pivoted yoke with an eyelet to pass over the stem, and has a pivoted link to hold the yoke down against the end of the crossbrace engaging the stem, the relationship of the yoke and link being such to provide toggle actions tending to hold the yoke in down position or in up position, until manually moved. Furthermore, in the preferred form of the yoke, a plurality of flat surfaces and intervening steps are provided on the outer surface of the yoke, to hold the engaging pin of the link in relatively permanent position.

The invention will be further described hereinafter, an embodiment thereof shown in the drawings, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a scaffold, as known, showing two end frames held in upright position by crossbraces, and having the attachment embodying this invention applied to the uprights of the end frames in proximity to the stems;

Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view of an upright and the attachment applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front view of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side view, but with the yoke and link in its upper position; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the relationship of the parts.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure l, the end frame It of light weight tubular metal is joined to a like end frame II, by lateral crossbraces I2 having their free ends I3 provided with holes l4 to fit over screwthreaded stems l5 secured to the uprights l6 of each end frame. In practice, nuts (not shown) engage these screwthreaded stems l5 to hold the apertured ends I 3 of the crossbraces l2 against the uprights I6. The end frames l0 and II have a preferred design of horizontals and a vertical, but different designs of horizontals, verticals and in some cases, diagonals may be used, depending on the taste of the maker, or to some extent. upon the utility of these parts. No invention is claimed in this application in the collocation of such members.

Structures as described are known. The objection to the use of the threaded stems I5 is that very often one or more of the four nuts become misplaced in the assembly or disassembly of these structures, and also become inoperative by rusting or injury by impact on the threads of the stem or nut.

The improvement consists in the provision of a brace holding attachment 20 applied to the uprights l6. Each upright it of each end frame has two such attachments applied thereto, each in proximity to the stems"! 5 and preferably above the same.

Each attachment 20 consists of a supporting web 2| secured preferably by welding 22 to an upright It. The web 2| has a hole therein for the passage of a bolt 23, the ends of which form shafts 24 for a yoke 25. The outer side of this yoke 25 has a cam surface 26 of special contour for the purpose to be described. The free end of the yoke 25 is formed into an eyelet end 21, with an intervening opening 28 for the passage of the fixed stem l5 through the opening 28. The inner part of the end 21 abuts against or presses slightly against an end l3 of a crossbrace l2, when the same is applied.

Upon the web 2|, a second pin 30 is provided, which, in the embodiment, passes through the web 2|, and also has its ends 3| act as shafts for supporting and pivoting a U-shaped clamping member 32, formed of two parallel side members 33, and a cross-pin 34. The cross-pin 34 is spaced from the shaft 3| a suitable distance, to enable the cross-pin 34 to ride over the peak 35 of the cam portion 26, and to hold the yoke 25 in down position against an end It of a, crossbrace [2, as shown in Figure 3.

The are of movement 36 of the cross-pin 34 with the axis of the shafts 3| as a center of curvature,

3 is such that it intersects the cam surface at Il (Fig. 6), and thus holds the yoke 25 in down position against the end ll of the brace [2.

When the cross-pin 34 is moved into its upper position, its lateral side members 33 have their ends abut against the upright l6, and this permits the yoke 25 to be moved upwardly until the surface 34 of the yoke 25 abuts against the cross-pin 34 (Fig.

When the yoke 25 is moved into its upper position, as shown in Fig. 5, it remains in that position until manually moved downward.

The lower end of the cam surface 26 is rounded as shown at 35. In the preferred embodiment, the outer surface of the yoke 25 below the rounded part 35, is provided with a plurality of alternating flat surfaces and steps (Fig. 6). In a size, in which the distance between pivot 46 and pressure point 4| of the yoke, is 3 in., the flat surface 42 adjacent. the curved part 35 is #1 in., and is an angle of 52 to the horizontal; the step 43 adjacent the lowest end of the flat surface 42 is in. in length, and is substantially vertically disposed; the next flat surface 44 is in. at an angle of 30; the next step 45 is /54 in. substantially vertical; and the next flat surface 46 is in. in length, at an angle of 18 to the horizontal. These dimensions are given as an example. The pin 34 cooperates with these flat surfaces and steps to the extent desired.

It will be seen that in either down or up position of the yoke there is a shifting of points of application in accordance with the laws underlying a toggle action.

We wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

4 We claim:

end frame scaffolding, in which each end frame has an upright and a stem on said upright, a cross brace on the stem, the combination of a web secured to said upright above said stem, said web being in a vertical plane and longitudinal of said upright, a first yoke having an end embracing said web, and pivoted thereto, and having itsother end provided with a loop swingable to surround said stem, and with an abutment on its exterior, a second yoke embracing said first yoke and having one end embracing said web and pivoted thereto below the pivot of said first yoke, and a cross-pin on the other end of said second yoke for engaging said abutment, whereby when said second yoke engages said abutment, said loop surrounding said stem is held in engagement with the brace to hold the brace against the upright.

vic'ron w. MENG. JOSEPH HUCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 222,998 Mann Dec. 30, 1879 232,655 Shaw Sept. 28, 1880 949,938 Michael Feb. 22, 1910 1,026,845 Bishop May 21, 1912 1,360,924 Gilarski Nov. 30, 1920 2,236,439 McKenna Mar. 25, 1941 2,467,688 Oertle Apr. 19, 1949 

